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MEMOIR 



FLORENCE KIDDER, 



WHO DIED 



IN MEDFORD, (MASS.,) APRIL, 1832, 



AGED ELEVEN YEARS. 



^- - ' ' ,, 






REVISED BY THE COMMITTEE OP PUBLICATION OP THE 
AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION. 



AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, 

SWiafceipfna: 

146 CHESTNUT STREET. 









Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1838, by 
Paul Beck, Jr., Treasurer, in trust for the American Sunday- 
school Union, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the 
Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 



<U * 4 



^3 



PREFACE. 



We wish the readers of this little 
book to look at this narrative, and to 
learn from it not only the value of 
the religion of Christ, but the evi- 
dence which such a life and death 
afford that the views which this 
child entertained are just and true. 
Let the reader ask himself, Whether 
different views give the same peace 
and comfort under suffering and 
death ? Is God pleased to give the 
same joy and triumph to the irreli- 
gious and thoughtless ? 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 



CHAPTER L 

The subject of the following nar- 
rative, Florence Kidder, was the 
daughter of Mr. Thompson and Mrs. 
Mary A. Kidder, of Medford, a vil- 
lage about five miles from Boston. 
Her father and mother are both 
members of the church in Medford, 
where they have resided for the last 
eight years. 

Florence was born in Boston, De- 
cember 30, 1820. She had been the 
subject of parental religious instruc- 
tion from her early childhood, and 
had attended the Sabbath-school 
most of the time since she was old 
enough to do so. 

1* 5 



6 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

She was a child of amiable man- 
ners and of quick and tender sympa- 
thies. No peculiar seriousness how- 
ever was visible, till some time in 
the summer of 1831. 

Her instructress in the Medford 
High School speaks of Florence in 
the following manner : 

"From my earliest acquaintance 
with her, she seemed disposed to 
listen to religious conversation, and 
frequently came to me with inquiries 
of what was her duty, and whether 
the indulgence of various little habits 
common to children was sinful. She 
was remarkable for openness and 
sincerity of character, and though 
naturally of a quick temper, always 
sought to make reparation for any 
wrong she had done, as soon as the 
excitement of the moment had sub- 
sided. Previously to her becoming, 
as we believe, a Christian, she seem- 
ed to possess an acute sense of right 









FLORENCE KIDDER. 7 

and wrong, and would often come to 
me, and confess she had transgressed 
some regulation of the school, or 
spoken unkindly of me, for requiring 
something she did not like to per- 
form, and say, ' I have not been hap- 
py since; will you forgive me?' 

"But it was not until some time 
in June, 1831, that she manifested 
any particular anxiety in relation to 
her immortal welfare. Though she 
frequently, when conversed with, 
assented to the necessity of a change 
of heart, and of preparation for death, 
she never appeared to feel her need 
of a Saviour until the period I have 
mentioned. I was first apprized of 
her state of feeling by finding upon 
my desk a note addressed to me, as 
nearly as I can recollect, in the fol- 
lowing words : 

"'My dear teacher, I am a lost 
sinner ; can you tell me what I shall 
do to be saved? F. Kidder/ 



8 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

"I looked up, and saw her face 
bathed in tears. During the devo* 
tional exercises of that morning, she 
seemed overwhelmed with a sense 
of her guilt, and, regardless of the 
presence of many, whom she could 
not expect to sympathize with her, 
she wept without restraint, and sob- 
bed aloud. When prayers were 
over, I called her to me, and endea- 
voured to say what I thought neces- 
sary to one under the influence of 
emotions so interesting. In answer 
to my inquiries, what at that time 
made her so anxious for salvation, 
she said, i When I was so sick a few 
days ago, I thought perhaps I should 
die, and if I did, I knew I could not 
go to heaven, unless my sins were 
forgiven, and I determined then to 
try and be a Christian.' I took her 
Bible, and marked such passages as 
I thought would convince her still 
more deeply of her guilt, and others 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 9 

which invited sinners to Christ, with 
promises of acceptance to all who 
were truly penitent. That morning, 
she visited her pastor, accompanied 
by several others. For many weeks 
following she continued evidently 
under strong convictions, and listen- 
ed with the utmost eagerness to reli- 
gious conversation and instruction. 
Her Bible and Hymn-book were her 
constant companions during the lei- 
sure moments she had after her allot- 
ted tasks were performed. I do not 
recollect that she expressed any hope 
that she was a Christian, until some 
days after the protracted meeting in 
this place. This intelligence, as was 
her custom, she communicated to 
me in the following note : 

"'I believe, my dear teacher, I 
have found Jesus, and given my 
heart to him. If it was God's will 
that I should die now, I think I 
should not be afraid, for I believe 



10 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

Christ would take me to himself in 
glory." 

Miss B. further says of Florence, 
"That from this period to the com- 
mencement of that illness which ter- 
minated her life, she continued to 
manifest a deep interest in religious 
subjects. She was always regular 
in her attendance at the prayer-meet- 
ing established by me for those at 
that time anxiously inquiring the 
way of salvation. At these meetings 
it was my custom to select such short 
pieces for reading as were adapted to 
their understandings and feelings. I 
encouraged their asking questions, 
and was often surprised and gratified 
to find in the questions proposed by 
Florence, evidence so strong, of deep 
thought and feeling upon the subject. 
She seemed to feel that religion was 
to enter into the every-day employ- 
ments of her life, and frequently re- 
marked, 'Miss B., we must give an 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 11 

account of all the deeds done in the 
body.' On one occasion, a compa- 
nion nearly of her own age was 
detected in an untruth. This was a 
fault I always reproved with severi- 
ty; and after I had dismissed the 
offender, I expressed the pain I felt 
at finding one of my pupils guilty of 
a sin, against which God had mani- 
fested such signal marks of his dis- 
pleasure. Florence seemed deeply 
to feel the wickedness of which her 
school-mate had been guilty; and in 
a letter written a few days afterward 
to a friend, she expressed her sorrow 
that one who was professing to seek 
for salvation should commit so great 
a sin against God. At the seasons 
of recess, she, with another to whom 
she was much attached, was in the 
habit of retiring at a distance from 
the school-room, with such of their 
companions as they could persuade 
to go with them for prayer; a practice 



12 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

which was continued as long as the 
weather would allow them to be 
abroad; and afterwards they held 
meetings at noon in the school-room, 
or, if any were there who did not 
wish to join them, in another room. 
She remarked to me one day that 

she feared was not a Christian ; 

' for,' said she, ' her temper is as bad as 
ever, and I think she does not always 
speak the truth.' I had tried much 
to impress upon the minds of Flo- 
rence and others the importance of 
faithfulness in the discharge of every 
duty; I had told them, if they were 
really Christians, they would be more 
obedient to parents, teachers, and 
those who had the care of them, and 
more affectionate to brothers, sisters, 
and companions. She appeared con- 
vinced that this was a necessary 
consequence of conversion, and she 
said, 'I do try, Miss B., to be more 
obedient, and to govern my temper ; 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 13 

do you think I am as impatient and 
fretful as I used sometimes to be?' 
After pausing for a time as if iudeep 
thought, she said, 'Do you think, 
Miss B., if I have repented of my sins, 
and God has forgiven them, that at the 
judgment day they will be brought 
up, and every-body will know them?' 
I replied, that the Bible said, ' E very 
work must be brought into judgment, 
with every secret thing, whether it 
be good or bad.' 'But it also says,' 
she answered, 'that he will remem- 
ber their sins no more, and will blot 
out their transgressions; and I sup- 
posed it was only sins not repented 
of, that were brought into judgment' 
She thought much of the importance 
of prayer, and said she believed she 
loved to pray now, for she never for- 
got it as she used to do; that she 
often prayed for the conversion of her 
companions, and that they might not 
grieve the Spirit to forsake them; 

2 



14 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

that for herself, she feared if she had 
not become a Christian then, she 
never should be one, for the Bible 
said, 'My Spirit shall not always 
strive with man.' " 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 15 



CHAPTER II. 

It was during the period of her 
peculiar religious impressions, refer- 
red to by Miss B., in the preceding 
chapter, that she first fell under my 
more immediate personal instruc- 
tions. 

Her mind I found deeply impress- 
ed with a sense of her guilt, and 
earnestly alive to the interests of her 
soul. 

On the morning alluded to by her 
instructress, she came to my house, 
with several others of the school. 
Her mind seemed deeply engaged in 
her spiritual concerns. 

The particulars of her conversa- 
tion I did not treasure up, but well 
recollect that it was a scene of uncom- 
mon interest. Nor did I then doubt 
that it was divine influence which 



16 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

had awakened the attention of these 
little ones to eternal things. 

She listened with peculiar atten- 
tion to what I said to her, and went 
away with a heavy heart, and her 
eyes full of tears. This was the first 
visit she made me. She afterward 
came often, and always appeared 
truly intent on learning her duty, and 
anxious to be a Christian. She often 
expressed a great desire to converse 
with me on the subject of religion, 
but seemed fearful lest she should 
occupy too much of my time. 

Her anxiety to be present at reli- 
gious meetings will be seen by a little 
note which she addressed to her mo- 
ther. 

There was to be an inquiry meet- 
ing in the evening, and her heart 
was strongly set upon attending 
it. Her father's house being some 
distance from the meeting, she ad- 
dressed her mother in the follow- 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 17 

ing simple and affectionate man- 
ner: 

"My dear Mother, — I have one 

thing to tell you. E and I went 

up to Mr. W.'s to have him pray for 
us ; and he said he wanted us to go 
to the inquiry meeting. He talked 
with us; and I shall have God for 
my friend. He is my staff, and I am 
not afraid to die. I want to go to 
meeting to-night, for he has saved 
me. 

" Do this for me, dear mother, and 
I will be a more godly child. 

" From your daughter, 

" Florence." 

She began about this time to in- 
dulge the hope that God had given 
her a new heart. She said she hoped 
she loved God; and she believed 
she did, for she loved to pray to him. 
Her father, one day, in conversation 
with her, asked her, why Nathan 
Dickerman should have a new heart, 



IS FLORENCE KIDDER. 

while so many other children did not 
have such a heart? 

She readily replied. "Because fe 
?va?ited it.'' 

One day. while sitting in school, 
Florence was observed to weep, and 
to manifest deep anxiety of mind. 
One of her companions, seeing this, 
asked her what was the matter. 

She replied, that she did not love 
God. and that was the reason why 
she wept. 

She then asked her companion to 
go with her into the woods, where 
they might pray together; and when 
they were in the woods alone. Flo- 
rence continued to weep, as she knelt 
down with her friend, and earnestly 
prayed to God that he would give 
her a new heart. 

Ever after the change in her feel- 
ings, she was in the habit of continu- 
ing these meetings, with a few of her 
companions. 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 19 

In a retired spot in the woods, 
about one-fourth of a mile from her 
father's, is the place where she with- 
drew to offer up her prayers, to read 
her Bible, and sing her hymns. 

Here, surrounded on all sides by a 
grove of fir trees, and closely shut in 
by the thick foliage, she engaged in 
the service, which, no doubt, will be 
her theme of endless delight [See 
frontispiece.] 

As I stood on the spot where she 
had kneeled and prayed, I could not 
but reflect how appropriate it is to 
worship the God of all this beautiful 
scenery by which I am surrounded. 
It\vas the Bible indeed, which open- 
ed the heart of this little child, and 
enkindled a new and holy interest in 
her soul. It was the cross of Christ, 
by the side of which she delighted 
to linger. But it was in the secluded 
grove that even this theme came 
over her heart more full and fresh. 



20 FLORENCE KIDDEK.- 

with joy. The story once told me 
of her grandfather, by a gentleman 
in this place, came to my recol- 
lection; and I could not but feel that 
the prayers of the grand-parent were 
answered on the child, and that the 
spirit of the aged saint, long since in 
glory, was indeed upon this his dis- 
tant descendant. 

"One day. wishing to see Deacon 
Kidder," said he, "I went into the 
woods where he was at work. As I 
drew near to the place, all was still : 
I went on however, for I saw by the 
trees that were cut down, that he 
had been there. When I came close 
to the spot. I heard some one talking. 
I went to the place, and what should 
I see there, but the good Deacon K. 
on his knees in prayer! I turned 
away deeply affected with the sight, 
and left him to his prayers.'' 

"Was it not here that God answer- 
ed a prayer offered up by this saint 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 21 

in the woods, on the third generation, 
and fashioned the heart of little Flo- 
rence to a sympathy with one whom 
she never knew? 

Doubtless these kindred souls now 
worship together above. 

Often, with her Bible and Hymn- 
book, she would retire to this spot, 
or, if the weather did not permit, to 
her chamber at home, to read and 
pray with her companions. 

What an example to older Chris- 
tians and to all the readers of this 
little memoir! Did Christians, ripe 
in years, follow this example, it would 
give life to their social piety, and 
elevate high their Christian inter- 
course. 



22 FLORENCE KIDDER. 



CHAPTER III. 

She used also often to ask her 
mother to go with her into a retired 
chamber, and pray with her. 

Often, when visited by some of her 
companions, she would ask to be ab- 
sent from the family, as they then 
supposed to play with them. But it 
was afterwards ascertained that her 
object was to retire for a season of 
prayer, that she might do them good. 
This practice of retiring for prayer, 
sometimes alone, and sometimes with 
her companions, was continued with 
greater or less frequency, until her 
last sickness. She always manifested 
great anxiety lest she herself should 
be deceived as to her hope; and also 
much concern for the spiritual wel- 
fare of her little companions, who 
were serious at the same time with 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 23 

her. She had many fears lest some 
of them should go back again to the 
world, and lose their religious im- 
pressions. She was therefore accus- 
tomed to converse much with them, 
and to write them letters on the sub- 
ject of religion. From two or three 
of her letters I make the following 
extracts. Speaking of some, in whom 
she felt particularly interested, she 
says, "I feel so dreadfully, if they 
should obtain a false hope, which 
would be worse than before they 
were serious." Concerning one in 
particular, whose name she mentions, 
she says, " I think, by the outward 

appearance, H is a Christian; 

but then we can tell only by the 
outward appearance, but God look- 
eth on the heart. How much differ- 
ence," she says, " there is between 
the Christian and the sinner ! I hope 
and pray that none of us may have 
false hopes, but God will guide us if 



24 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

we believe in his name." The letter 
from which the above extracts were 
made, is dated October 10, 1831. I 
have before me another letter, dated 
October 11, 1831, which shows how 
great was her spiritual enjoyment at 
that time. She begins her letter by 
saying, "I do hope that none of us 
may have false hopes. I pray for 
you a great deal in my mind; and it 
seems as though my prayers ascend- 
ed up to the throne of grace. ! 

E -, it seems now as though I 

was in heaven with my Saviour. 
Now he is mine, and I am his. It 
seems as though I could see my Sa- 
viour pouring down blessings more 
than I can receive, upon me. Our 
verse in the Bible yesterday was, 
' Salvation belongeth unto the Lord ; 
thy blessing is upon thy people ;' and 
to-day, 'Hear me when I call, O 
God of my righteousness; thou hast 
enlarged me when I was in distress ; 






FLORENCE KIDDER. 25 

have mercy upon me, and hear my 
prayer.' " 

So far was she from being satisfied 
with her attainments in piety, that 
she often manifested great anxiety 
as to her Christian character, lest 
after all she might be deceived as to 
her hopes. Yet her conduct, in the 
view of those who best knew her, 
was uniformly such as to inspire the 
strongest confidence that she was a 
true child of God. 

Her little Bible, to which she was 
strongly attached, and which she 
often perused, bears ample evidence 
that it was a book she loved. 

"It looks," said a gentleman to 
me, "like an old minister's Bible, 
everywhere marked with the pencil." 

On the margin her little hand has 
drawn the lines which tell very 
plainly that her intellect and her 
heart were in her readings. 

While turning over the leaves, I 

3 



26 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

could not but feel, what I have often 
felt before, how much real Christians 
are alike in every age. 

There was something evidently in 
her bosom which responded to the 
feelings of him, who lived a Chris- 
tian on the hill of Zion near three 
thousand years ago. Here was a 
practical illustration how David felt 
when he wrote much of the 119th 
Psalm; how he felt, when in the 
19th Psalm, he gave utterance to his 
feelings, as beautifully versified by 
Watts : 

11 I love the volume of thy word ; 

What light and joy those leaves afford 
To souls benighted and distressed ! 

" Thy threatenings make me truly wise, 
And warn me where my danger lies ; 

But 'tis thy blessed gospel, Lord, 
That makes my guilty conscience clean, 
Converts my soul, subdues my sin, 
And gives the free, but large reward." 

This was the feeling which deeply 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 27 

pervaded her bosom, as her Bible 
still remains to testify : a spirit which 
in her, and in others, is a spirit just 
bordering on heaven. 

It is when the heart moves in uni- 
son with all revealed truth in the 
Bible, that it is made meet for an in- 
heritance with the saints in light. 

That child, or that aged professor, 
who does not love the Bible much, 
is very far from the spirit of David 
and of this little child; very far from 
heaven. 

God talks to us in the Bible, and 
he who loves God will love to hear 
him speak. 

How many of my readers never 
have loved their Bibles, so as to 
mark the precious spots like this 
little child, and to dwell on them 
with the glowing ardour of her youth- 
ful soul. 

It was with the same love to the 
Bible, that she promised, before I left 



28 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

home for the winter, to commit one 
verse of the Scripture every morning. 
I commenced with a number of the 
little ones of my charge, who were 
seriously inquiring at this time, 
among whom was Florence. 

She was always ready to engage 
in any exercise of this kind, and 
seemed pleased to be put upon a 
course which would lead her to know 
more of the word of God. 

I have been deeply interested in 
taking her little Bible and remarking 
the verses that are crossed by her 
pencil. 

The 3d verse of the fifth Psalm 
she has marked : " My voice shalt thou 
hear in the morning, O Lord : in the 
morning will I direct my prayer 
unto thee, and will look up." 

I cannot doubt but all this was 
true in her practice, and that this 
verse was the utterance, the simple 
utterance of her feelings. 






FLORENCE KIDDER. 29 

She did lift up her voice in the 
morning to God, and her prayer was 
heard. 

Another passage marked is Isaiah 
xxvi. 3, 4: "Thou wilt keep him in 
perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on 
thee : because he trusteth in thee, 

" Trust ye in the Lord forever : for 
in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting 
strength" 

How this was made true, in her 
case, will be seen in the conclusion 
of this narrative. 

Seldom is a peace more perfect, 
exhibited in the closing scene of life, 
than was seen in her's. Nor was 
her trust in God that vague and 
undefined confidence which is so 
often exhibited in many death 
scenes. 

There was a definite trust in the 
mercy of God, inspired by, or ground- 
ed on the deep feeling that she was a 
lost sinner. She mourned over her 



30 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

guilt and ingratitude, and went back 
to her father God, nothing doubting 
that she was forgiven and loved by 
him still. 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 31 



CHAPTER IV. 

I was often struck with the prompt 
ness of her answers to my questions. 

It is now more evident to me than 
it was then, that they were the sim- 
ple dictates of her heart. 

"Did you always love God?" I in- 
quired. "No, sir" was the answer. 
"Did you once love to think of God 
and heaven?' "No, sir." "Did 
you once love to kneel down and 
hear your father pray for you at 
night?" "No, sir." 

"But how do you feel now when 
all your little brothers and sisters 
come to prayers?" "I love now to 
hear my father pray." 

The same state of feeling is illus- 
trated by an incident which took place 
during a protracted meeting, held in 
her native town at the time of the 
change in her character. 



32 FLORENCE KIDDEK* 

Her father invited all his children, 
during the intermission of services, 
at noon, to meet him in a retired 
chamber, for prayer and reading the 
Bible. Several of them attended. 
As it was left to them to do as they 
pleased, some were absent at times, 
while little Florence was always 
there. 

We could wish that all parents 
and children might often imitate this 
example. Let them thus retire and 
pray together if they hope to mingle 
their joys in heaven. 

The same readiness to reply to my 
questions w r as apparent in respect to 
other points of religious experience. 

"Do you love to have the Sabbath 
come, Florence ?" " Yes, sir. Once 
it seemed a long day, but now it 
don't. I love to think that the Sab- 
bath-day has come." 

Such were her feelings in respect 
to the day which once hung heavy 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 33 

on her hands. She had, it seems, a 
conscientious regard to this day, as 
well as a love to its hours and its 
services. 

Her father's house is more than 
half a mile from the church. This 
distance at times she used to walk 
with her little companions; and one 
of them observed to me a few days 
since : 

" Before Florence was serious, she 
used on the Sabbath to talk of every 
thing while walking to church, but 
after her change, she talked of reli- 
gion." 

"Out of the abundance of the 
heart the mouth speaketh," is not 
less true of children than others. 

I shall long remember her atten- 
tive and eager look, as she used to 
come into my vestry at the evening 
service, and seat herself very near to 
the desk, to listen to the word of life. 

Her eye was evidently expressive 



34 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

of the feelings of her heart, and that 
heart was full of feeling. It was 
easy to speak the word of truth when 
there were many like her hanging 
on the lips of the speaker for instruc- 
tion. 

Often did I see the tear run down 
her cheek, as the promises of kind- 
ness and love from Christ were told 
in her hearing. 

She wiped away her tears, and 
went home with a light heart, when 
I told her Christ died for sinners; 
and that the same Jesus who took 
little children into his arms, was as 
ready and as willing to bless her as 
them. It was easy to perceive that 
this was a theme which quieted her 
troubled heart. 

Many of her companions will. I 
hope, long remember how much she 
thought of Christ, and how she was 
accustomed to repeat some favourite 
hymns. 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 35 

The following is one which she 
used to repeat in seasons of despond- 
ency and doubt : 

" 'Tis a point I long to know, 
Oft it causes anxious thought: 
Do I love the Lord or no? 
Am I his, or am I not ?" &c. 

Another which illustrates her feel- 
ings in respect to the manner in which 
she expected to be saved, is this : 

" As the serpent, raised by Moses, 
Healed the burning serpent's bite ; 
Jesus thus himself discloses 

To the wounded sinner's sight," &c. 

These hymns, of her own selection, 
show how her mind was operating 
during her short preparation for hea- 
ven. Happy child to ripen for glory 
so soon, and to enter into undisturbed 
rest! 

Another practice to which allusion 
has been made, was to retire with 
her companions to talk and pray 
with them. 



36 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

"She told me," says one, "to love 
God, and she asked me, if I should 
die to-night, if I thought I should go 
to heaven. She said she thought 
she was prepared." * 

"She told me" says another, "that 
I must love God, and when I died I 
should go to heaven; I must keep 
his commandments, serve him, and 
then I should be happy; pray every 
night and morning in faith. She 
prayed with me," &c. &c. 

Says a third, " She told me to love 
and serve God, that I might, when I 
died, go to heaven, and live with the 
angels." 

From these few remarks, yet re- 
membered by her companions, it is 
evident she did nx>t forget to do 
good. 

Such were her feelings and efforts 
while she was ripening fast for the 
kingdom of God. 

She laboured and prayed to bring 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 37 

others to feel the happiness she felt, 
and she had the pleasure to see some 
loving her God and Redeemer. 

She has gone a little before them 
to enter upon the joys, which they 
too will soon possess, if they live and 
die like her. 

It is evident that she was led to 
think of death as not distant. One 
of her favourite hymns discloses her 
feelings in this particular while she 
was yet in health. 

Oft as the bell, with solemn toll, 
Speaks the departure of a soul, 
Let each one ask himself, " Am I 
Prepared should I be called to die tV 

Only this frail and fleeting breath 
Preserves me from the jaws of death ; 
Soon as it fails, at once I'm gone, 
And plunged into a world unknown. 

Lord Jesus ! help me now to flee, 
And seek my hope alone in thee ; 
Apply thy blood, thy Spirit give — 
Subdue my sins, and let me live. 

4 



38 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

Then when the solemn bell 1 hear, 
If saved from guilt, I need not fear; 
For would the thought distressing be, 
Perhaps it next may toll for me. 

By such thoughts as this hymn is 
calculated to inspire, she was pre- 
paring her mind for death, so that it 
was not unexpected or dreadful when 
it came. 

It was, as will be seen, only for 
her to go home — to the place of her 
strongest desires. 

She felt, indeed, that she had 
earthly friendships, but friendships 
more precious in heaven. There too 
she hoped to renew her acquaintance 
and her intercourse with all her dear 
friends yet in this world. God had 
given her such a clear and affecting 
view of heaven, that it seemed little 
for her to relinquish life. 

I remember to have inquired of 
Florence, long before her death, if 
she thought she should be pleased to 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 39 

leave the world, and to go and live 
with Christ. She did not hesitate 
to reply, "Yes, sir" 

" What ! would you be willing to 
leave your father and mother, and 
all your friends?" " Yes, sir." It 
was easy to perceive in her, even 
when hope first began to dawn in 
her heart, that it was full of immor- 
tality. 

The sweetness of home was all 
identified with the place where God, 
and Christ, and angels dwell. 

Never have I seen, as in her, and 
in little ones of the same age, such 
perfect peace in their reliance on the 
love of Christ. They seem to cast 
themselves into the arms of his kind- 
ness, as they throw themselves into 
the embrace of earthly parents, and 
all their fears are hushed. It was 
very manifest in the case of Florence, 
that she felt increasing confidence in 
all her approaches to God, that he 



40 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

would be her father and her God. 
" I went away and prayed, and I felt 
as though God would forgive me/' 
was her reply, when I used to ask 
her what made her feel so differently 
from what she once felt. 

While I am sitting in my study, I 
seem again to renew these happy 
scenes of my pastoral life, and to 
gather these little lambs of the flock 
of Christ into my arms; — I see them 
kneel dow^n together, and lay their 
little faces on the green sofa, still 
standing on the spot, where I com- 
mitted them to God. 

Yes, it was here that this little one, 
now gone, as I trust, to God, began 
to lift up her heart with intense 
delight. That pastor knows but a 
part of the pleasure of his work, 
who has never had the happiness of 
guiding the little children of his 
charge to Christ. 

Their confidence once gained, and 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 41 

they pour out their hearts in all the 
simplicity of childhood, and awake 
the purest and happiest feelings in 
any heart, which is not most unlike 
its Master, who, in heavenly kind- 
ness, took them into his arms and 
blessed them, and said, " of such is 
the kingdom of heaven. ' ? B ut I will 
not detain my youthful reader from 
coming into the chamber of sickness, 
and seeing this dear child die. I 
hope they may all die as happy as 
Florence, and go and live where 
she is. 

About this time, October, 1831, I 
was called to be absent from my 
charge, on account of the ill health 
of my family. I did not see her again. 
Before my return she had left this 
world of trial for the joys of heaven. 

The remaining part of the narra- 
tive will be given in letters addressed 
to me by Mr. C, who supplied my 
place in my absence, and was privi- 
4* 



42 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

leged to watch this little one in her 
hours of trial, and aid her happy 
spirit to its God. 

Medford, May 1, 1832, 

Rev. and dear sir: — In compliance 
with your wishes, I shall give you all 
the information in respect to Florence 
Kidder, which lies in my power. 

Many of the facts of this interest- 
ing case came under my own person- 
al observation; others were related 
to me by the friends of Florence, who 
were with her in her sickness, and 
who watched around her dying bed. 

I have no particular knowledge of 
her religious experience previous to 
her sickness, except what I have 
received from others. Every thing 
of this kind, relating to her history , 
your own recollection will readily 
supply, as I understand Florence 
was a hopeful subject of the revival 
which existed in your society last 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 43 

summer and fall. From what I have 
been able to learn respecting the reli- 
gious character of this little girl, it 
would seem that her heavenly Fa- 
ther, by bestowing upon her, in such 
abundance, the riches of his grace 
previous to her sickness, had been 
preparing her for the deep afflictions 
through which, in his righteous pro- 
vidence, he soon called her to pass. 
For it was indeed in the morning of 
life, when her prospects of happiness 
and usefulness seemed most fair and 
promising, that she was suddenly 
called to relinquish all the fond plea- 
sures she was enjoying in her Sab- 
bath-school, and among her com- 
panions, whom she was accustomed 
to meet in the little praying circle, 
for the pains and trials of that dis- 
tressing sickness, some particulars of 
which I will now communicate. 

So numerous and interesting are 
the facts, however, that I hardly know 



44 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

where to begin, or how to proceed. 
Very soon after her first attack, 
which was occasioned by a sudden 
and severe cold, the disease, which 
at first settled in the head, was found 
to be violent and unyielding in its 
progress. From the beginning, she 
was subjected to great bodily pain, 
which continued with but little 
abatement, and with often increased 
intensity through her whole sickness. 
As to bodily distress, she was indeed 
a sufferer in the strict sense of the 
word; but to her, these were light 
afflictions; for they were working 
out for her a " far more exceeding and 
eternal weight of glory." From the 
commencement of her sickness to 
her death, as I have been informed, 
by one who had the particular care 
of her, and who was with her most 
of the time, night and day, she was 
never known to utter a murmuring 
word; or to manifest the least im- 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 45 

patience under all her sufferings; 
but, as another remarked, concern- 
ing her, " She was a pattern of meek- 
ness and resignation, feeling uni- 
formly more for others, who were 
afflicted on her account, than she did 
for herself." 

She spent much time in prayer. 
But when, in consequence of severe 
distress, she felt unable, as she would 
sometimes say, to form a prayer, she 
requested her Christian friends to 
pray by her bedside, that she might 
enjoy the privilege of uniting with 
them. When others prayed with 
her and for her, she said she felt 
great satisfaction in being able to 
follow them in her mind; and in- 
quired with much earnestness, if 
they thought her prayers, offered in 
that manner, would be acceptable to 
God. 

I have been much interested to 
learn with what peculiar satisfac- 



46 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

tion she reviewed the scenes through 
which she passed last summer and 
fall. One day, while conversing 
with her grandmother, she said, " O ! 
grandmother, how glad I am that I 
went to inquiry meetings. O ! you 
do not know, and never can know, 
how much I love God." Being asked 
how she felt, she very readily replied, 
" Better — much better; and I believe 
it is because I pray to God every 
night." She often called to mind 
the sweet seasons she had enjoyed in 
times past, with her companions, in 
religious exercises; and whenever 
she thought of these, she would, for 
a time, seem almost to forget her 
sufferings, although they were so 
intense ; and would seem to be in an 
ecstasy of joy, as she endeavoured 
to tell how much comfort she took 
last summer, and what satisfaction it 
was to her now, that she had con- 
versed so much about personal reli- 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 47 

gion with her minister. She said 
she hoped Ellen (her cousin and in- 
timate friend) would never forget 
the pleasant seasons they had enjoyed 
in the woods together, when they 
used to go away alone, and read their 
Bible and hymns; and she hoped to 
meet her in heaven. She would 
often say, she knew God to be her 
best friend, and that she took more 
comfort in having her friends pray 
and read the Bible in her hearing, 
than in any thing else they could do 
for her. 

There is one topic connected with 
the history of Florence, during her 
sickness, which I have often called 
to mind with special interest. It 
relates to the very clear views which 
she evidently entertained of Jesus 
Christ, as an all-sufficient Saviour. 
She uniformly expressed strong love 
and great reverence for Jesus Christ, 
on whose atoning blood alone she 



48 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

relied for salvation. Her mother, 
coming into the room one day, and 
seeing her in such great bodily dis- 
tress, that the sweat stood in drops 
on her face, said to her, " Florence, 
my dear, how much you suffer." She 
looked up, and very cheerfully re- 
plied, "O ! mother, this is nothing — 
nothing at all, to what my dear 
Saviour suffered for me. He sweat 
great drops of blood for me." 

It gave her much uneasiness to 
see her friends afflicted on her ac- 
count; and whenever they mani- 
fested signs of pity at witnessing her 
distress, — " Don't say a word," she 
would say, — "don't say a word, it is 
all right— 'tis all right." 

On Saturday, April 21, two days 
before her death, I visited her with a 
view to have particular conversation 
respecting her hopes and prospects 
for eternity. I found that she was 
rapidly declining, and that there was 






FLORENCE KIDDER. 49 

very little prospect that she would 
ever again be restored. I asked her 
if she then felt willing to die, if her 
heavenly Father should see fit to 
take her away. She replied, "I 
hope I do." I asked her in what she 
trusted for salvation. She replied, 
" In the Saviour." It was remarked 
to her, " You may be assured that 
God will do all things right, and 
that he orders all things for your best 
good." " O, yes! yes !" was the reply ; 
" I know he will do all things right." 
Almost two months had now 
passed, and her incurable disease 
appeared to be making most rapid 
advances. It was very easy to per- 
ceive that her flesh was fast wasting 
away; her strength was nearly ex- 
hausted, and the hectic glow had 
already begun to appear upon her 
cheek. Yet we did not anticipate 
that the closing scene was quite so 
near at hand as the event proved. 
5 






50 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

On the following Sabbath, prayers 
were offered for her in the public 
congregation. An arrangement had 
been previously made to invite all 
the children who entertained hope 
that they were Christians, to meet in 
the vestry during the intermission 
on that day, for the purpose of receiv- 
ing instruction, and of conversing 
on personal religion. 

It was at the moment when I was 
making preparations to go to that 
meeting, that information was re- 
ceived that Florence was dying, and 
accompanied by her request that she 
might see me before she died. It 
was with emotions of no ordinary 
kind, you may be assured, that I 
hastened to witness a scene, which, 
though it proved not to be what we 
expected, yet which any individual 
might have considered himself 
highly privileged to behold. 

When I first entered the room, and 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 51 

saw the family group assembled 
around her bed in this hour of afflic- 
tion and trial, my own feelings were 
such as I shall not attempt minutely 
to describe. The sight was truly 
affecting. But the melancholy pro- 
duced by the first impression at wit- 
nessing a scene like this, was in a 
moment dissipated, as I approached 
nearer, and perceived how much 
occasion there was for joy even in the 
midst of grief; for the light of hea- 
ven seemed to be reflected from the 
face of the child. Never shall I for- 
get that look — that lovely smile that 
played around those death-like fea- 
tures, as the deep struggle, which we 
expected would be her last, passed 
away; and as the little suiferer re- 
vived ; and gazing upward in rapture, 
exclaimed in an audible voice, "All 
is light before me, — all is light be- 
fore me." A few moments before 
I entered the room, when, as they 
all supposed, she was in the last 



52 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

struggles of death, with an inex- 
pressible look of holy triumph she 
exclaimed, " O, happiness ! happi- 
ness ! O, death, where is thy sting? 
O, grave, where is thy victory ?" — 
"Who can weep for her," said her 
afflicted parents. " If we weep, can 
we weep but for joy? for her condi- 
tion is far better than ours, or that of 
any whom she leaves behind her." 
She had now so far revived as to be 
able to converse. The height of 
happiness to which she had been 
elevated had seemed to carry her 
entirely above earthly sufferings ; 
and she seemed, as it were, reluctant 
to lose the bright vision, and come 
back again to this world of toil and 
suffering. She was soon asked if 
she felt relieved at all from her dis- 
tress. She calmly replied, "I am 
easier now, and expect soon to be in 
heaven." She then seemed to be 
holding communion with Heaven; 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 53 

for, with uplifted eyes, and with a 
look and tone of holy submission, 
she, three times, in an audible voice, 
repeated the prayer, " Not my will, 
but thine, O Lord, be done." She 
then seemed again almost to lose 
sight of earth, as she exclaimed, 
"Angels now stand waiting around 
to bear my spirit up to God." Sure- 
ly, a scene like this needs no com- 
ment. We all beheld and admired, 
— and could but exclaim inwardly 
in fulness of heart, " O, the wonders 
of grace ! — the triumphs of redeem- 
ing love!" Amid such joy as Flo- 
rence had experienced, she seemed 
almost to have forgotten that the 
clogs of mortality had not yet fallen 
off. Her physician coming into the 
room, she conversed with him with 
much composure, and promptly an- 
swered all his inquiries; although 
she appeared sensible that her body, 
then the seat of pain and disease^ 



54 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

would very soon be mouldering in 
the dust. But her last struggle was 
yet to come. She was to speak other 
words for the good of those whom 
she was soon to leave behind her. 
She was yet to give her last warn- 
ings and admonitions to the nume- 
rous circle of friends whom she so 
tenderly loved. 

Florence seemed deeply to feel the 
importance of doing whatsoever her 
hand found to do, with her might. 
She appeared desirous of spending 
her last breath in the service of God, 
and in doing good to the souls 
around her. She soon called her 
weeping brothers and sisters around 
her dying bed, and affectionately 
taking each of them by the hand, 
with an inexpressible look of earnest- 
ness, and with a tone of the most, 
persuasive tenderness, she said to 
them all, "Do love God, that you 
may meet me in heaven. " I then 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 55 

asked her what I should tell the 
children and youth in the Sabbath- 
school from her, as her dying mes- 
sage to them. "O!" said she, with 
strong emphasis, "O! tell them all 
to love God, that they may die 
happy." 

Her own will seemed to be swal- 
lowed up in the will of her kind 
friend and merciful Father. She 
would exclaim, even when in great 
bodily distress, "O, God is good! 
God is good!" To the question, 
"Does Christ appear precious?" she 
replied, with a look indicating a joy 
to which this world is a stranger, 
"0 yes; precious — precious; I shall 
soon be in heaven." 

To her cousin Mary, who was 
conversing with her about dying, 
she said, " Perhaps it is God's will 
that I should be spared;" but imme- 
diately added, "I had much rather 
die than live, if God is willing." 



56 FLORENCE KIDDEK. 

On the same occasion, speaking of 
her bodily sufferings, she said, "I 
can now bear ftp under pain, because 
God has prepared me for death.' r 

Her symptoms soon became more 
alarming, and all hopes of her reco- 
very were now relinquished. And 
as the hours of that holy Sabbath, 
the events of which I have been de- 
scribing, passed away, Florence was 
fully sensible that the remaining 
moments of her fleeting existence 
were rapidly passing with them. 
This, to her, had been the happiest 
Sabbath she had ever seen, although 
the last she ever expected to see on 
earth. It was to her, indeed, a happy 
day, for it was a day in which she 
had clearly and fully gazed on the 
brightness of that eternal Sabbath 
of rest, which had already dawned 
upon her ; and she felt a confidence 
which all the terrors of death could 
not shake, that her disembodied 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 57 

spirit would soon dwell amid the full 
blaze of its light. 

After returning from the evening 
service, I called once more, between 
the hours of nine and ten, to see 
Florence, as I doubted not, for the 
last time in this world. The Sab- 
bath had passed away, and the eve- 
ning had brought with it no relief as 
to her sufferings; and but very little 
hope was entertained that she would 
live to see the light of another day. 
I found her still perfectly happy and 
peaceful in her mind; entirely will- 
ing to wait until God should see fit 
to remove her from suffering. But 
He, who orders all events for his own 
glory, had yet other purposes to ac- 
complish through her instrumental- 
ity. That night passed away, and 
on the next morning she distributed 
among her sisters and cousins some 
little gifts, which she desired them to 



58 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

accept and keep as tokens of her re- 
membrance. 

She then recollected that she 
had some money which had not 
been disposed of. She immediately 
thought of the multitudes of heathen, 
who never knew that Saviour in 
whom she had trusted, and who now 
appeared to her "the chiefest among 
ten thousand." She called her father 
to her bed, and asked for a small box 
w^hich contained her money. The 
box was brought according to her re- 
quest. She tried to take the money 
out with her little hand, but found 
herself too weak to succeed in the 
attempt. Her father then held her 
cold hand in his, while the pieces of 
money, as she desired, were poured 
into it. She then put them back 
into her father's hand, and told him 
to put it all into the missionary box. 

She saw her mother standing by 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 59 

her bedside, weeping. The little 
sufferer was at that moment too 
much exhausted to speak. But al- 
though she could not speak with her 
tongue, yet feeble as she was, she 
still found means to utter the strong 
language of that spirit that struggled 
within her. As she saw her mo- 
ther's tears, with a bright smile upon 
her countenance, but with no tear 
in her eye, she first looked up wish- 
fully into her mother's face, and 
then endeavouring to lift her little 
hand, she significantly pointed her 
finger upward. Nature was now 
almost exhausted, and as the last 
hour approached, and the struggles 
of death came over her, even in 
the last agonies, as this world was 
receding from her view, and the 
heavenly world opened in full pros- 
pect before her, she still talked of 
angels that stood waiting around to 
conduct her spirit to heaven. 



60 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

The same religion that so wonder- 
fully supported her amid the intense 
bodily suffering which she endured, 
caused her finally to triumph in her 
last struggles. To those friends who 
stood around her in this trying time, 
she exclaimed. "My sufferings are 
almost over." Then looking upward, 
she said, "0 Lord,, come quickly.*' 
She then said. "I am going. I am 
going; come. Lord Jesus, come quick- 
ly; Lord, receive me;" and. with 
this prayer upon her lips, she died. 

The Wednesday following, which 
was the 25th of April, her funeral 
was attended. And although her 
body now sleeps in the dust, yet who 
can doubt that her spirit rests m 
heaven? All who know the history 
of Florence cannot fail in that to see 
exhibited, in a very remarkable de- 
gree, the happy effects of early piety. 
She seemed like a flower that only 
bloomed to die; which came forth 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 61 

and withered in an hour, but not 
without sending forth a fragrance, 
and exhibiting a beauty which at- 
tracted the admiration of all who 
beheld it. Although it withered 
here, yet it is now- transplanted into 
a more genial clime, where it will 
forever bloom in unfading beauty. 

I do not remember ever to have 
witnessed a case which, to my own 
mind, more clearly and more forcibly 
exhibits the triumphs of the Chris- 
tian religion. Who could witness 
what was exhibited in that child, 
without feeling that the religion of 
Christ has a power to which this 
world is a stranger? When I looked 
upon that child, only eleven years 
old, and heard her talk about dying 
without seeming to discover the least 
emotion of fear; when I saw her 
suffering so much pain without ut- 
tering a murmuring word; when I 
heard her telling others not to weep 
6 



62 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

for her; when I beheld her looking 
at death, as he appeared before ner, 
clothed in terrors, without the least 
apparent agitation, and with a serene 
smile on her countenance; when I 
heard her talk with such raptures 
of the joys she experienced, of the 
preciousness of her Saviour, of the 
goodness and mercy of God, of the 
blessedness she saw before her; and 
when I heard her express such long- 
ing desires to depart and be with 
Christ; as I witnessed all this, O! 
thought I, what a lesson of instruc- 
tion does an example like this convey 
even to believers, and those of riper 
years than Florence. Indeed, w r hat 
believer can witness a death thus tri- 
umphant, without feeling that his 
faith takes a stronger hold on things 
unseen and eternal? 

If the tendency of such an exam- 
ple should be to strengthen the faith 
of believers, what conviction ought 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 63 

it to produce on the minds of unbe- 
lievers ? Could even the cold-heart- 
ed sceptic witness a scene like that 
which I have attempted to describe ; 
could he see a Christian die as that 
child died ; and could he turn away 
from beholding it, and be a sceptic 
still? Or, could he have traced the 
progress of that disembodied spirit 
in its upward flight, as it threw off 
the clogs of mortality, and mounted 
up to its native heaven; could he 
have known the rapture of that soul, 
as it seized the golden harp to strike 
a note that angels never sung ; could 
he have longer doubted the reality, 
the excellency, the glory of that re- 
ligion which raises sinful men from 
the dust of earth to eternal blessed- 
ness in heaven ! 

Yes, Florence has exchanged this 
world of sin for a brighter world, 
where pleasures never die. We can- 
not weep for her. She charged all 



64 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

her friends, as she saw them around 
her dying bed, not to weep for her. 
A little while before she died, she 
recollected a hymn which she had 
seen, and which so fully expressed 
the feelings of her heart, that she 
desired it to be found and read. The 
following is the hymn : 

" Weep not for me ! 
When the spark of life is waning, 

Weep not for me. 
When the languid eye is sealing, 

Weep not for me. 
When the feeble pulse is ceasing, 
Start not at its swift decreasing; 
'Tis the fettered soul's releasing; 

Weep not for me. 
When the pangs of death assail me, 

Weep not for me. 
Christ is mine, he cannot fail me, 

Weep not for me. 
Yes, though sin and doubt endeavour 
From his love my soul to sever, 
Jesus is my strength forever, 

Weep — weep not for me." 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 65 

It is difficult to close this narra- 
tive, without expressing the wish 
that all children may die like this 
dear child; that they may find her 
peaceful grave, and her happy hea- 
ven. 

In the frontispiece they may ob- 
serve her, by the high rock, kneeling 
down. 

There, child, you may see how 
Florence learned to die; there, under 
the lofty tree, and in the open air, 
she prayed, and wept, and loved 
God. 

I cannot here omit to let child- 
ren see how their good parents feel 
when they are called to lay them in 
their graves. Speaking of little Flo- 
rence in a letter to me, her father 
observes : 

" * # * I n the afternoon of this 
day, instead of waiting on God in his 
earthly courts, I was called to attend 
6* 



66 FLORENCE KIDDER, 

the dying bed of a dear child. Little 
Florence was a flower early matured 
by grace, and early transplanted from 
this world, to flourish in the garden 
of God. Just as this beautiful bud 
began to expand, the frost of death 
nipped it, and it now lies in the 
grave. Yes, our dear little Florence 
is gone from us, — rather shut from 
our sight, and lives in the paradise of 
God, and we are left to mourn — to 
rejoice rather,— for although we 
weep that we shall see her face no 
more in the flesh, yet, through the 
mercy of our heavenly Father, we 
sorrow not as those without hope. 
O, for a sense of the goodness of 

God. 

■& %■ % $ -t- 

"While her happy spirit, now just 
released from its earthly tabernacle, 
was taking its upward flight,— and 
while she yet lay on the bed of death, 



FLORENCE KIDDER. 67 

around which we continued to lin- 
ger, weeping, and rejoicing, — we felt 
it a duty, and privilege, to unite in 
giving thanks to God, for all that he 
had done for her, and for us." 

There is something in the whole 
of this narrative which ought to 
awaken the deepest interest of all. 
Especially do I hope that all those 
who, like her, enjoy the privilege of 
Sabbath-school instruction, may be 
led to think of this child's life and 
death, and to imitate her example. 
If she followed Christ, and thus ob- 
tained a peace which the world can 
neither give nor take away, so may 
you, by following Christ, obtain the 
same blessed portion. May you so 
live, that in the season of your last 
sickness and the solemn hour of 
death, you may be able to repeat one 
of Florence's favourite hymns, and 
to die with heaven open, as it was to 
her, " All is light before me." 



65 FLORENCE KIDDER. 

There's a delightful clearness now— 
My clouds of doubt are gone ; 

Fled is my former darkness too — 
My fears are all withdrawn. 

Sweet glories rush upon my sight, 
And charm my wondering eyes ; 

The regions of immortal light, 
The beauties of the skies ! 

All hail ! ye fair celestial shores, 

Ye lands of endless day; 
Swift on my view your prospect pouTS, 

And drives my griefs away. 

Short is the passage — short the space 
Between my home and me ; 

There ! there behold the radiant place J 
How near the mansions be ! 



THE END, 



